Device for filling and emptying cartridge belts



Dec. 5, 1944. V, HOLEK ETAL 2,364,530

DEVICE FOR FILLING AND EMPTYING CARTRIDGE BELTS .Filed March 18, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l i. wim

Dec. 5, 1944. v. HOLEK ETAL 2,364,530

DEVICE FOR FILLING AND EMPTYING CARTRIDGE BELTS Filed March 18, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 5, 1944 DEVICE FOR FILLING AND EM'PTYING CARTRIDGE BELTS Vclav Hol'ek, Brunn-Zabovresky, and Jan Ond'iek, Brunn, Czechoslovakia;

vested in the Alien Property Custodian Application March 18, 1938,'Serial No, 196,790 ,In Czechoslovakia March 18, 1937 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for filling and emptying cartridge belts, the device being provided with a displaceable ejector for the cartridges and with a drum for feeding the belt thereto, which drum is controlled by a shaft movable by a displaceable part of the driving mechanism. l

The invention has for its chief object to provide a device which will ensure a rapid lling of the belts with the cartridges without hindrances which arise especially owing to the incorrect position of the cartridges in the cartridge container.

According to the present invention the filling device is provided with means for holding the cartridges in a cartridge container and means for 4 feeding the cartridges to the belt from the bottom of the container.

The container is formed at its bottom with a charging space from which the cartridge is pushed into the belt and subsequently a second cartridge is allowed to fall into the charging space. A further feature of our invention is the provision of a shaking means in the container, the movements of which are controlled by the cartridge pushing means as will be more clearly explained hereafter.

The filling device according to the invention can be used Aboth for filling and for emptying the cartridge belt; this is eected by altering the path vof the cartridge ejector. This alteration of the path is obtained by means of a simple device which is based on the fact that the slide, on which the cartridge ejector is arranged, is provided with two grooves with which the pin of the crank-drive mechanism engages as required.

The filling device according-to the invention is of simpler construction than previousdevices of this kind, cheap to produce, readily operated, light in weight and suitable for transport.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, the same will now be described more fully, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view with parts in elevation and ofthe cartridge filling apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal elevational view with portions in section illustrating the position taken by certain `elements during the feeding of the cartridge into the belt.

Fig. 3 shows a similar view with the apparatus adjusted for e'jectlng cartridges from the belt.

Fig.. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the section line IV-IV of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line V-V of Fig. 2 illustrating the position in which the recess 68 in the shaft I'I is located opposite the lever arm 61 so as to permit adjustment from a charging to an ejecting position or vice versa. l

Fig. 6 shows a sectional elevation of the holding member for the cartridges, and

Fig. 'l is a plan view of the holding member shown in Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, I denotes a boxlike base body having feet 2. The drive of the mechanism consists of a crank 5 (Figure 5) which is keyed on a pin or shaft 6 that is mounted in a bearing 3 in the wall of the box I. Secured to the inner end of the shaft 6 is a crank 'I which is provided with a pin 8 which engages in a groove Il or I2 (Figures 2 and 3) in a slide I0 that is displaceably arranged on a holder shaft I1 which is rotably mounted in bearings in the side walls of the box. For this purpose, the slide IU is provided with a tubular attachment I3 which is mounted on the hollow shaft I1 that is provided with a helical groove I6 in which a pin I5 on the attachment piece I3 on the slide engages, so that, during the displacement of the slide, the shaft is rotated. Since the crank mechanism is symmetrically arranged, the operation of the device is not altered whether the crank handle 5 is rotated in one direction or the other.

On an offset end I8 of the shaft I'I there is loosely mounted a drum 2l] for feeding the cartridge belt (not shown) to the device, which drum is provided on the `periphery thereof with teeth that engage in the individual members of the belt. When the slide is moved by the crank 5 the shaft l'I is rotated by engagement of a lug I5 with the walls of a cam slot I6 in the shaft Il.

The said drum is provided on one end face with teeth 2| which engage with teeth formed on a tube 22 (Figures 1 and 2) which is mounted on the shaft I'l and is urged by a spring 23 toward the right as viewed in Fig. 1. The teeth are formed in such a manner that they engage when the shaft is rotated in one direction whilst they slip over each other when the shaft is rotated in the opposite direction. In order to prevent the drum from turning back, a disc 25 (Figure 1) is mounted on the hub of the drum so as to be displaceable by means of a spring 21 acting thereon. The disc 25 is provided with `teeth 26 reversely formed stationary teeth secured by and projecting inwardly from the right hand bearing of the shaft I1. These latter teeth are so formed that when the teeth on the tube 22 slide over the teeth 24| the drum 2n is heid from rotation by the stationary teeth of the bearing.

A cartridge container 30 is removab-ly cons nected to the box I by means of a lever 53 (Figures '1 and 2) which is rotatably mounted on a, pin 52 andfa projection 54 which engages with` xed teeth 551-0411vr the. .box I. .Connected .to the cartridge container 39 is an attachment 5I which prevents the cartridge belt from slipping out of the teeth of the feeding drum 20.. The

cartridge container 30 is divided by a vertical wall 3| into two chambers from which .the car tridges are passed into two charging spaces 40 W and 49 which are formed as channels at opposite sides of a rib 42 on the top wall ofthe box I.

'Y (Figures 1 and 2) f:.urrlenced, the slide I is adjusted so that the pin 8 ,10`

4on the crank 1 engages in the straight groove I I The displacement of the slide Iton the shaft I1 is effected by rotating the The charging spaces are providedpwith longitudinal openings 4I and 4I' throughwhich ejectors Y, I4 and I4 for the cartridges pass. These 'ejectors form a bifurcation on the tubular attachment 'I3 on the slide I0, ,7.

Below the dividingwall'i I of the cartridgecontainerli's located the shaking device which ensures the continuous feedingof the ,cartridges into Vt'l'i'e charging spaces. The shaking device consists Vof' two plates 34 and 35 which vare bent intova ridge-like shape and the bottom parts of which are turne'dtowards eachother. The parts 34 and 35 of `tl'ie.-s1iakin`g device are 'provided with hangers by means of which they are 'mounted'on a pin 32 which is mounted in eyes formed on the bottom edge `of the dividing wall 3|.y 'Arranged concehtrically "with the pin 32 ijs a" spring 31 one end'of which is attached to the part 34 and the other end yof whichisatta'ched to kthe part 350i the 'shaking device; the saidspring maintaining the parts lin the 'facing `position,so that -these parts form a hollow kprism that is suspended on 'thejp'in 32 by meansxo'f one "edge: On the 'side facing the 'slide,jthe two parts"34 and 35are' pro-v vided with bevelled stop pieces 38 and `39, respectively, between which is passed a flat wedge spike 'I3' of rectangular'"cross-section (Figures 1 4and 5`) which is rigidly fixed 4dovetaiil manner to the vslide I0', so 'that it carries out the pushing movement. Thespike I3 is guided in a guide -4 whiehis'forme'd inthe top wall of thelv box I and which also serves as a guid'eior thev slide I; :Suitable openings are formedinthe 'cartridge containerfor the passa/ge of `the spikethrough the wall of the box'and the cartridge container.

.crank handle 5,.during which displacementv the ejectorslld and'l't fpush the cartridges out of the :cartridge spaces 140 and 40. The pushed out cartridges slide ,on the shorter arm of the holder '46iorthe cartridges and causes the rocking of rthis lever', so 'that the forked parts 41 and 41' of the "arn pass, by means' of their projections 48 and 48", into the charging spaces and hold the bottom cartridges fast, so that thel latter do not fall into Athe charging space and lthus Ido 'not cause any possiblev disturbance. After the -cartridges are vpushed out, the slide returns lwith the ejector. During thismovement, the teeth 2l on the tube -22, which are pressed towards the right bythe spring 23, come into engagement with the engaging surfaces Aoi the teeth arranged on the feeding drum, and the cartridge belt is displaced through two 'divisions .and -is thus prepared for further iilling.

' During the Workingmovement of the -ejectors (in the. direction of the larrow p), the teeth 2I slip over each other and the teeth 25 on the disc,

Beneath thejcartridge container 30 Ythere, is l arranged a lcartridge holder which consists of Aa V'lever 45 o'f 'the irst'order 'rotatably mounted on Ya pin-45 that passes through 'thewaiis 'of the box.' One arm 'of the 4cartridgeholder passes 'into yan l Yopening 5llin the'boX, through which-opening' "the cartridges are pushedj'out of the Ycharging space into the A'cartridge belt,r whilst the other arm is forked, the forked parts vv41 and 41 (Figures 5 and'l being'bentto form projections 43 'and 448 Lwhich,when the lever is turned, passes Vinto the vcharging'spaces lIIIland 4U (Figure 4).` The lever 46 is `loaded by aspring 49 which is.

lmounted in the depression that is formed in the boxvbenea'th the wall42 that separates the'charg-` ing' spaces.

Vdevice which permits the pin 8 lof the crank The "slide-"I9 (Figure 1') is r provided with "a `rriechanism to 'fb'e' `shifted from the 'groove II to l andthe drum VZllvis held againstrotation by engagement of the bearing rteeth with the teeth -on the disc 25.

` In the working movement of the vejectors (in the direction 'of thev arrow p), the shaking device `also comes intooperation, `since the wedge spike I3', which moves with the slide, passes through the openings injthe boxand the cartridge container 39 and `strikes the bevelled stop pieces 38 and 39oftheV-parts 3'4 and 35 and moves ythem `against the action of the spring 31. On the rel turn movement, the spring 31 brings the parts V34 and I35 back into fthei'r original position as soon as the spike I3 comes out of engagement with thern,' -and` lthis operation, which isfrepeated ron every working lstroke'causes `the-shaking and the arranging together of the'cartridges, so that Athe latter can be Vfedy continually into the charging Vspace 1without any jamming of Jthe cartridges.

- Duringfthe return movement Aoi lthe veje'ctors I4 and f4, the shorter arm `ofthe `cartridge holder 46 is kept in `the'position represented in Figure 2. It is'onlyf'whenthe ejectors leave theshorteriarm e. i. the arm 'at lthe right'of the; pivot'45 asshown in Fig. 2 of the ho'lder 4that Vthe lever *46 is turned, under the `action o'fj thespring 49, vinto -the position shownV in Figure A1, which position -the shorter arm engages `in the 'opening v 59, vso that it prevents the cartridges Afrom alling 'out Aaccidentally, and the forked arms 4.1 and 41' moveswith its projections 48 and.4'8', outv ofthe openings 4I 'and'-II", sothat it `frees`v the way for 'thelowest l pacesandtofbe `prepared vfor being-pushed foute.. y

1 The lling device according to fthe present yinbeing prolonged by as much as is necessary for pushing the cartridges out.

For this purpose, the slide I is secured rmly in the position in which the projection 61 is adjusted opposite the opening 68 (in the construction shown in Figure In this position, it is possible to press the arm 64, which pressure results in the projection on the arm 63 coming out of engagement with the opening l0 in the slide I0. The pin 8 of the crank is then brought over into the groove l2 in the slide, with the result that the path of .the ejectors I4 and I4' is prolonged in the direction of the arrow p to such an extent that the pushing of the cartridges out of the belt is rendered possible. Upon the release of the arm 64, the corresponding arm ofthe securing lever drops into the opening in the slide and the filling device is prepared for the pushing out. The groove I2 is curved in a part I2' thereof, as can be seen fromFigures 1 and 2. The object of the curved part I2 is to obtain a greater force on the pushing of the cartridge out of the belt, since, as is known, the cartridge is held in the known manner by means of a i groove or by means of the edge of the cartridge by a projection formed in the cartridge belt.

The groove I2 may be provided with two curved parts I2 and I2" in order to enable the cartridge `to be pushed easily out of the belt in the rotation of the crank to one side or the other.

It will'be understood that the filling device described and illustrated is given only as an example of an embodiment of the invention and that the individual details thereofV may be varied Without altering the scope of the invention.

What We claim is:

1. A lling device for cartridge belts, comprising a container for the cartridges, a shaking device associated with said container consisting of a hollow ridge-like body divided into two parts movable relatively to each other, a, slide and mechanism for operating said-slide, a device connected with said slide, means on said parts of said hollow ridge-like body, said device on said slide oo-operating with said means, a member carried by said slide constituting an ejector for the cartridges from said container, said slide including grooves co-operating with said member, one of said grooves serving to control the movement of said ejector for pushing the cartridges into the cartridge belt and the other of said grooves serving to push the cartridges out of the belt, a drum for feeding the cartridge belt, a shaft forsaid drum, a part displaceable with said slide for operatinggsaid shaft, and a device for holding the cartridges located in said container above the ejected cartridges, said device being controlled by means of the cartridges ejected from a charging space at the bottom of the container.

2. A filling apparatus for a cartridge belt comprising a container for the cartridges, a drum for feeding the cartridge belt, a shaft for said drum, driving means for operating said shaft, a slide for ejecting cartridges from said container, said slide having two spaced grooves therein, crank means adapted to cooperate with either one of said grooves, a pivoted multi-armed setting lever mounted on said slide and cooperating therewith, said slide-having a recess cooperating with said setting lever whereby said slide may be adjusted so that said crank means may engage nin either one of said grooves.

VcLAv HOLEK. JAN ONDRIEK. 

